Man hit police officer with half-full cask of wine

Geoff Egan
Journalist
Geoff has been working for the QT since August 2011 covering Ipswich’s rural areas. He started working for APN in January 2010 with the Chinchilla News in western Queensland after growing up on a grain farm. Geoff spends his time out of work watching far too much sport following the Reds, the Broncos and various American teams.

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A MAN who hit a police officer with a half-full cask of wine has been fined $1500.

Benjamin Michael Long, 26, pleaded guilty on Wednesday at the Ipswich Magistrates Court to failing to appear in court, unlawful possession of a dangerous drug, creating a public nuisance, obstructing a police officer and assaulting a police officer.

At 7.46pm on Wednesday, August 14, last year police were called to an address in Stuart St, Goodna, following reports of a disturbance.

They arrived to find loud music blaring from the house and a drunk, agitated Long standing outside.

The court heard Long was so intoxicated that while police were speaking to him they struggled to understand anything he said.

Soon after the arrival of the police another man walked out of the house.

Long began threatening and abusing the man.

Police told Long to calm down or he would be arrested.

The court heard Long began to swear at police and tell them to "arrest me then".

When the police officer tried to restrain Long he swung a half-full wine cask at the officer, hitting him.

Long then broke free and ran from the scene before he was caught by police.

The court heard police had to use capsicum spray to fully restrain him. He was then taken to hospital.

The court heard Long also faced charges from May 16 last year when he was found in possession of 0.7g of cannabis.

Police were searching Long before placing him in an ambulance due to his level of intoxication when they found the drug.

When he sobered up he identified the drug and told police the cannabis was his.

He then failed to appear in court regarding the matter.

Long was given a $1500 fine to cover all offences. The drugs were forfeited to police for destruction.